


Your Eyes Say Different

by pichan



Category: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Flirting, Fluff, Humor, Lemon, M/M, Romance, Sex in First Chapter, Smut, Unrequited Crush, one shot turned chaptered story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-06
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-03 20:39:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1072817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pichan/pseuds/pichan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy's daily swimming activities are interrupted by a certain sun god with his own activities in mind. Apollo had heard Percy came out of the closet about a year ago and wanted to see if it was true. He'd always had a thing for sons of Poseidon. Nico steps in later, for he happens to share a taste in men with Apollo. Set two years after The Last Olympian, so Percy and Annabeth are 18, Nico is 14, and Apollo is still an ageless god.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been discontinued. I'm terribly sorry if you were enjoying it.

Cool, refreshing water. Not a thing like it in the world. It rocked and comforted but could be merciless and cruel at the same time, Percy marveled.

His hands cut clean into the lake, his legs kicking powerfully. He had started swimming a lot more recently to...forget a few things.

Don't think about her. Focus on the liquid.

But of course, he thinks about how he dumped Annabeth and feels terrible but he couldn't string her along anymore because he may not like her kind and she won't even talk to him.

It all comes rushing into his head. It was a year ago, but he still couldn't get over it.

Angling his body, Percy dives farther down into Camp Half-Blood's lake, hoping the pressure will be the only thing he thinks about.

Sitting on the dock a few yards away sat a particular god with blond hair who had a particular taste for green-eyed heroes. Unknown to the hero in question, he sat watching the boy's lithe figure move through the water.

"You just had to wear a Speedo today, Percy," Apollo mutters to himself. He peers over his large sunglasses as the younger boy resurfaces and continues on as if he hadn't just spent the past ten minutes underwater.

There was just something irresistible about the son of Poseidon.

Apollo whistles loudly and calls Percy's name, getting his attention. He motions for the boy to come closer.

Percy glances up sharply, coming out of his little world. Wonder how long Apollo's been there.

Moving towards the dock, he begins to regret wearing what he did. If he gets even the slightest bit hard, Apollo will be sure to notice. Which will be difficult, considering the god is one of the reasons Percy began to question his sexuality. And he's shirtless. And ripped.

The darker haired boy leans against the dock. "What do you want, Apollo?"

"Can't I just pay a visit to an old friend?"

"Last time you came, you just wanted to scam on weak-willed campers."

He smirks. "I plan on scamming on a certain camper this time." This makes Percy blush, though he tries to convince himself that it's not directed towards him.

"Why don't you come up here and give me a proper welcome?" Percy nods and pushes himself onto the wooden planks with ease. "Those are quite the muscles you have there."

The demigod blushes again. "Thanks. I've been swimming a lot."

"I know. Let me see those." Without further warning, Apollo places a warm hand on his bicep, feeling the hard muscle. His hand travels up the smaller boy's arm and to his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Percy is concentrating on trying to keep his Speedo flat as Apollo's hand travels down his back. He loses the battle when the same hand is pressed against his abs and soft fingertips explore his lower abdomen.

"S-stop...Apollo, stop it!" Percy manages, knowing what is happening is wrong. If Annabeth knew what was happening, it would crush her. He couldn't hurt her anymore.

The sun god smiles. "You say no, but you're eyes say different."

Percy wished it wasn't true, but he couldn't be more dead on. His will grew weaker as Apollo stroked his chest.

Suddenly, the blonde leaned forwards and kisses the other full on the lips. Percy gasps and tries to pull away, but Apollo holds him in place.

When he finally let's go, Percy's bulge in embarrassingly obvious. Yet he still struggles. "I can't...I can't do this to Annabeth."

Apollo pouts. "She doesn't have to know. Besides, it's not like you're married." He then whispers in Percy's ear, "You're eyes say different." His strength diminishes by the second. He knows he's about to give in. Annabeth, forgive me, but he has a point...

At that point, Percy is almost relieved to pounce on the blonde and roll onto the dock with him. Their lips crash together the other lets out an almost animal-like sound of victory.

Percy feels Apollo's tongue trying to explore his mouth and gladly allows it to happen. He reciprocates with just as much passion.

Surprising even himself, the green-eyed boy is the first to try to remove Apollo's board shorts. In the process, they reach the end of the pier and roll into the cold water below.

Grinning, Percy creates a bubble around the two of them. "At least now we'll have more privacy," Apollo smirks.

The resume with more force than before. It doesn't take long before they've stripped each other. Shit, he's got the body of a god. Wait. Unnnh.

Percy's thoughts become hard to make sense of as Apollo reaches down and strokes his member. A soft moan escapes, making Apollo smile.

He begins to rub harder and harder, and the demigod's whimpers grow in volume as well. Just as he feels he's about to climax, the older man grabs his head and guides it downwards.

Percy takes the hint and trails kisses down his neck, then his, chest, and his chiseled stomach. When he reaches his destination, he slowly envelopes it with his mouth.

As he begins to move on the nine inches, Apollo's runs his hands through his hair. "More," he groans as his head rolls backwards.

Gently, Percy begins to bob up and down. With another "nnngg," the sun god grabs Percy's head and moves it for him.

With a slight pop, his member is released. "You ready?" He asks in a husky voice.

The smaller boy nods. I've been ready before I knew I was ready, if that makes sense. I- His inner monologue is cut off by a sense of pleasure laced with pain as Apollo enters him. "Holy shit!"

From behind, Apollo gives a worried, "You okay down there?"

"Whatever you do, don't stop." He gives a small laugh in response, then continues to push in.

Gradually, the thrusts grow faster and rougher. Finally, when he hits just the right spot, Percy loudly moans Apollo's name.

He pounds into the man below, each time hitting his prostate.

Percy says breathlessly, "I'm gonna...I'm gonna...!" He screams, "APOLLO!" and finishes on the lake bottom.

The other grows closer with Percy's moans and climaxes with a final thrust.

They fall away from each other but lay on the bottom of the water, each panting hard.

Apollo rolls towards the demigod and kisses him on the cheek. Percy rests his head on Apollo's chest and feels more comfortable than he has in a long, long time.

* * *

 

Chiron decides to take an after-lunch stroll by the lake. A pair of board shorts and a Speedo float to the top of the water as he rests on the dock.

He chuckles, saying, "Poseidon isn't going to be happy about this."


	2. Apollo, the Tease

Poseidon had always known that Apollo was nothing but trouble.

The lad was arrogant, obnoixoius, and way too promiscious. The sea god had been able to ignore him because they rarely ever met; what were the chances of the ocean greeting the sun?

But he had crossed a line this time. Having his way with Poseidon's only son was unforgivable.

Right?

The confusion felt about this topic caused all major bodies of water to have rough waves for days.

On one hand, he had defiled poor, young Percy and sullied his innocence. And in Poseidon's own domain!

Yet on the other hand, and this made the oceans roil even more, it hadn't seemed like Percy was having the worst time in the world. No, he had definetly enjoyed the ordeal. Who was Poseidon to get in the way of love?

And on the other hand, Apollo was an asshole, plain and simple. He thought he could do anything and get away with it. Not on Poseidon's watch.

And on yet another hand, he couldn't control Percy's life. It wasn't fair to the boy.

"I will let things be, for now," his voice boomed throughout the ocean floor. "But that doesn't mean I can't make things as tricky as possible for that bastard Apollo."

* * *

The world came back fuzzy for Percy Jackson.

There was liquid overhead and sand on his bum. Obviously, he was on the bottom of the lake. What he couldn't figure out was why.

He stretches his limbs only to bump into a warm body. A body that was all too familiar by now.

A small "Oh, fuck," escapes his mouth as the general experience comes rushing back to him.

"What, right now?" Apollo responds, sitting upright.

Percy shakes his head slightly. "No, you idiot. Did we really...?"

A devilish grin grows on the other's face. "Yep. And it was amazing, if I do say so myself."

"Why in Zeus's name did we do that? When did we do it? Did I-" the demigod's voice grows hushed as he says the next part. "Did I give consent?"

Apollo chuckles at his panicked reaction. "One, we did it because it was fun. Two, it happened about three hours ago. And three, I belive you're the one who instigated it in the first place. I'm not a complete slimeball."

Running his fingers through his hair, Percy remembers exactly what had happened blow for blow (pun intended). He then massages his face, unsure what to do next.

"You sure are cute with your face all smushed up like that," Apollo comments.

Percy gives him a look of steel. "No. No way are you going to start being all lovey-dovey. No compliments, no starry-eyed gazes, and definetly no unnecessary touching!"

"Didn't seem like you missed my touch a few hours ago."

A blush crawls across Percy's skin. He had really messed up this time. Annabeth would be furious.

Apollo lightly punches him in the shoulder, saying, "I know what you're thinking: Annabeth's gonna be pissed, yadda yadda, but listen to me. You aren't with her. She doesn't really matter anymore."

The other boy's eyes narrow and his mouth tightens. "You have no right to say that. Of course she matters."

"I'm just saying, you shouldn't be so worried what she thinks." Apollo frowns a bit, pushing his lips out slightly. God, they were kissable lips.

Percy kicks off the sandy floor and floats to the top. He couldn't get suckered into his trap again.

"Wait, wait! You're taking the air bubble with you!" Apollo calls, but Percy doesn't even look at him. "Like I need oxygen anyways," the god huffs.

Back at Cabin Number Three, Percy flops down on his bed, still wet from head to toe. It was a good thing he didn't have any roommates; the stares he received from random campers while booking it back to his home base were bad enough.

It was as if they had never seen a nude son of Poseidon before.

He had no idea what to do now. He felt guilty keeping recent events from Annabeth, but he couldn't tell her about them.  _Imagine how that conversation would go. "Hey, Wise Girl! I fucked Apollo! Hard!"_

The mere mention of the act set his skin blazing with shame and something even more sinful...lust. Catching the pillow in his arms, Percy shoves his face into the fabric and rolls around on the now soaking mattress. He rolls a bit to much and lands heavily on the wooden floor below, face down.

"Oof." He flips onto his back, putting the pillow over his face.

"What'cha doin'?" The drawl comes from the doorway after a few minutes. Percy tilts his head to see an upside-down Apollo leaning in his doorway, a towel around his waist and his chest still glistening with water. His eyes travel a bit to much on the younger boy's body for Percy's comfort.

He sits up and places the pillow in his lap to shield himself from Apollo's roaming eyes. "What do you want?" Percy snaps.

"Geez, I just wanted to check up on you. Besides, I asked you a question first." He sits down on the lower bunk and flinches at the wet bed, now freezing cold. "They have terrible room service here."

Percy gives a small laugh. "Seriously, what is it? I need to take a shower, I'm shaking like a leaf with cold."

"I could help you with that. Either warming up or taking a shower, or both. You choose." Apollo lifts an eyebrow suggestively.

"Uh uh. I said none of that."

The sun god shakes his head slightly. "Right. Anyways, I just wanted to apologize. I didn't realize Annabeth still meant that much to you. Usually when someone breaks up with another person, that means they're done with said person."

"I know that's how it's supposed to be, but it's complicated. I had, um, other reasons for breaking it off."

His eyes open wide with shock. "She cheated on you? That's ballsy, even for her."

Percy stands up, pillow still in place. "It was nothing like that. Now seriously, leave. I need to wash off." The other stands as well, and Percy places one hand firmly on his back and pushes him out the door.

Apollo turns in the doorway, a breath's space away from Percy. He pushes his lips onto the demigod's, in full view of the rest of camp.

An alarm goes off in Percy's head, but he tastes oh so good. When the break off after what felt like an hour but was really a few seconds, Apollo grins his big, goofy grin.

"Call me!" He chirps as he skips away, leaving Percy on the porch, using the pillow to cover his raging hard-on.


	3. Seriously, How Fast Does Gossip Travel?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gossip must travel at least twice as fast as Hermes, because it seems everyone knows everyone's business before it's even happened.

The warmth of the shower envelopes Percy, but he barely noticed. Huffing, he uses his left hand to brace himself against the tiled wall. His right was a bit preoccupied.

He pumps his arm, roughly gripping himself. Unable to get Apollo out of his head, he had settled for this.  _Is this what my life has become? Pleasuring myself in the shower like some prepubescent kid learning to masturbate?_

His breaths came louder as he came close to finishing. Just as he was about to let it all go, there was a knock at the open cabin door.

"Percy? You in there?" An all-too familiar voice chimed.  _Shit._  He hadn't seen her in weeks, this was not how he wanted to greet her.

 _"_ Annabeth? Um, I'm in the shower  _huff_ so could you  _huff_ come back later?" He was trying so hard to not cum, but it was going to happen whether it was wanted or not. The question was only of time.

There's a crinkling of fabric as Annabeth sits on the bed, then a short shriek as she realizes it's still soaking wet. "What in the- you realize your bed is completely covered in water, right? Anyways, I can wait, nothing I haven't seen before."

 _She's so damn nonchalant._ Percy shoves his fist in his mouth as he finally cums all over his hand, the only thought in his head of Apollo's lips. He quickly cleans himself up and shakes his head, trying to remove all thoughts of that sort before greeting Annabeth. God, he was embarrassed.

Giving one final nod of the head to dispel any lingering tendencies, Percy ties a towel around his waist and exits the bathroom. "I wasn't expecting to see you. How have you been?"

"Oh, all right I suppose. I was about to go meet up with this guy, and I figured I'd say hello to you," she answers.

"Guy? What guy?"

"Oh, just someone I met at a cafe downtown. He's very sweet. Speaking of, is there anyone you've been seeing...?"

 _How could she possibly know about- wait. Did she see Apollo's very open display of affection?_ Percy begins to panic. "I, uh, well. It's complicated."

"I see," she murmurs. Her face is unreadable and she ducks to look at her watch, using her hair as a shield. "I'll be off then. Bye, Seaweed Brain."

Her use of the old nickname cuts Percy. "See ya, Wise Girl," he says, but she's already out the door.

Pulling on some boxers and jeans, he figures things can't get much worse. Wet mattress, unthinkable thoughts about a particular sun god, and now Annabeth knew it. Then his phone lit up.

NEW MESSAGE FROM: unknown number

Hey big boy, heard some Wise Girl dropped by for a quick chat. Also, perhaps I should call you Seaweed now. It's fitting, seeing as how that's where we first...

Percy quickly exits the text before reading the rest; he didn't want to know how Apollo would describe what they had done. But if he had known about Annabeth's visit, what else did he know about the younger boy's recent activities?

He enters the number as a new contact and quickly types a message.

TO: Apollo-That-Son-Of-A-Bitch

how did u get my number? and how long were u watching?

Not much time passed before he received a reply.

NEW MESSAGE FROM: Apollo-That-Son-Of-A-Bitch

Long enough.;)

And really. Seaweed. I'm a god. I can do pretty much anything.

Percy wasn't sure how to process what was happening, so he sat there with his mouth agape for a few minutes. He blinked twice, cleared his throat, and quickly put on jeans and a t-shirt in case Apollo was still around.

The room is quiet, only the sound of waves hitting the dock and the susurrous of campers outside. A growl from Percy's stomach pierces the peacefulness and reminds him that he hasn't eaten all day. Hair still damp, he leaves his cabin and walks towards the mess hall. Not many people are milling about, to his relief, so he grabs a sandwich and sits at an empty table.

 _Maybe nobody saw the kiss,_ he thinks. The demigod casts a few glances around but nobody pays much notice to him. His sigh of gratitude is cut off by Grover practically sitting on his lap and announcing, "So you and Apollo are a thing now?" That got everyone's attention.

Nervously laughing, Percy stutters, "N-no, he was just messing around. You know how that horn dog is."

"So I'm a horn dog now?" Apollo says, also sitting too close for comfort. Percy nearly jumps out of his skin, wondering,  _did everyone develop super stealth while I was in the shower?_ "You didn't seem to mind it much earlier-" He's cut off by a sharp jab to the ribs from the boy in question.

"Cut it out, it's not funny anymore." Grover obviously thought differently, as he was laughing his ass off. Percy could feel his face growing red, but he hoped no one would notice.

Of course, Apollo noticed. "Aww, you're blushing. Do someone have a little crush?" He waggled his eyebrows at the last part.

"Stop, man!" This just made them laugh harder. The satyr wipes a tear from his eye, still giggling, and says, "I'll leave you two lovebirds to it, I have a few things to do. But remember, there are children around!"

Percy stares after him as he exits the room, then glares at his sandwich. Apollo wraps his arm around him and says, "Don't be angry, Seaweed. It's all in good fun."

"Then why," Percy shakes him off, "am I not enjoying it?"

The god smirks, and moves closer even thought Percy thought it wasn't possible. "Oh trust me, you are. You have the worst poker face. Though you have a wonderful 'oh!' face-" He's cut off by another rib jab. "I told you to stop referencing that."

"Sorry, sorry. I just can't control myself around you..." Apollo's voice dropped to a throaty growl at the last sentence. He places his hand on the other's thigh and slowly inches it upwards.

Abruptly, Percy stands up. "Not here."

"Somewhere else then?"

"I gotta go," Percy manages to get out. He knows his face is redder than a tomato and Apollo is talking way too loud for comfort.

He quickly throws away his tray and walks towards the door. When he's almost free, Apollo sing-songs after him, "That wasn't a no!"


	4. Something More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apollo is a patient man.

"God dammit," Percy mutters. He's sitting behind the lunch room, his head resting against the cabin's wall. "I wish he wouldn't talk to me like that. He's already used me, why hasn't he thrown me away yet? That's what he does right, seduces, uses, and throws away like trash. Well I'm not your trash, Apollo."

Someone coughs to his left. "You're not?"

Percy falls on his side, letting a small screech escape. He had been so entangled in his thoughts he hadn't heard Apollo appear. "I, um. Um. No. I'm nobody's trash, I'm not trash at all. In fact, I-" Apollo stoops down and cuts him off his rambling by placing his finger to Percy's lips. The other hand rests on Percy's cheek, keeping him there. His hands were soft, just like when they had...

The demigod stops his ramblings by himself this time. "I don't think you're garbage, Percy." Apollo says quietly.

"Of course you do," Percy says as he stands up and brushes himself off. He stalks towards the woods, but he could hear Apollo following him. Percy picks up his pace, trying to ditch the sun god. It would have been easy for Apollo to catch up, Percy knew, yet he stayed a bit back, letting Percy feel in control.

The trees grew denser and more rugged. Not many people came to this part of camp, and the foliage grew rampant. Percy wasn't looking at his feet; he had finally gotten used to his gangling limbs and walked with confidence. If he had been paying attention, he would have seen his foot catch on a tree root. All he saw was the ground getting closer until his nose was buried in it.

Percy groans, 30% from pain and 70% from embarrassment. Apollo is at his side in an instant and rolls Percy over onto his back. His nose bleeds like a fire hydrant, his clothes were dirty, and his ankle was already starting to swell, but Apollo couldn't help but think how down right sexy Percy is. He likes his boys a little beat up, so sue him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, peachy," Percy snarks. His ankle was at least twisted, if not broken, and his nose was still gushing blood.

Apollo says, "Let me help you up." He took Percy's hand but the boy fell almost immediately. Percy yelped again as his rear hit the ground hard. Apollo had to stifle a laugh as he put one arm around Percy's shoulders and the other under his knees. "What are you doing?" Percy said, alarmed.

"Helping you up." As if to demonstrate, Apollo does a few half crunches with Percy's body. "I'll take you to your cabin."

"Shouldn't I go to the medical tent?"

Apollo gives him a condescending look. "Do you even know what I'm god of."

"Oh, yeah. Sun. Music. Medicine. Got it." They were silent the rest of the walk, Percy's shame growing with each step. He was eighteen, dammit, yet here he was being held like a child. They arrive at the Poseidon cabin in a few minutes, but it felt like half an hour to Percy.

Gently, Apollo lays him out on the bed. He grabs some gauze and a towel from the bathroom and starts to clean Percy's face. "I think I can handle this part," Percy says.

The other shrugs and hands him the towel. He then removes Percy's right sock and shoe, revealing his ankle. It was damaged, but not broken. "I think you only sprained it," Apollo remarks as he wraps it up in the medical bandage. Percy breathes a sigh of relief as he places his hands on the bandage a works a little godly magic. "Technically, I'm not supposed to be doing this," Apollo says, "but I can make an exception. It won't heal all the way, but it'll speed it up."

"Thank you," Percy says quietly. He suddenly remembers how little he's slept in the past few days, more like weeks, and his eyelids grow heavy.

Apollo stands up and hovers over Percy's face. "You missed a spot." He grabs the towel and wipes at Percy's cheek. Percy falls into his deep blue eyes, so focused and tender. He could see true emotion in them, and it thrilled and scared him.

Whether it was gratitude to Apollo for healing him, exhaustion lowering his inhibitions, or just Apollo's insane attraction, Percy couldn't stop himself. He sits up on his forearms and kisses the god slowly, enjoying the warmth of his lips. Apollo's eyebrows shoot up but he doesn't back away.

The kiss isn't rushed like their last one, nor as passionate as their first, but something better, something more. Apollo finally breaks it and whispers, "I'll be back to check on you later." Percy nods but is already fast asleep.

Apollo covers him with a blanket and leaves the cabin, his lips still wanting, but he knew Percy needed time. He just didn't know how long he could wait.


	5. Not Done Yet

It was the time of Artemis when Percy woke up. Apollo was on the floor next to him, sleeping. He had no way of knowing how long he had been resting there.

Percy took advantage of this time to admire Apollo's physique. The moonlight made his blonde hair almost white and his face was abnormally calm. With no hint of cockiness or flirtation, he looked almost innocent. His cheekbones stuck out and his lips were parted slightly. Percy yearned to pull Apollo into bed with him and wrap his arms around the god protectively.

As Percy rolled onto his side to get a better look at him, Apollo's eyes begin to flutter open; he must have heard the bed frame creak. He seems confused at first, then his eyes lock onto Percy's and he smiles. "Morning, Seaweed," he whispers.

"Morning, kind of," Percy says. He tries to fight the urge to grab Apollo, but for the first time wonders why he's so against being with him. It wasn't a matter of sexuality, that had been been accepted long ago. Apollo seemed to care about him at least a little bit; he had healed Percy and stayed with him to make sure he was okay. Even Annabeth was moving on, so why couldn't he?

Apollo was watching him, cautious and calculating. The hesitation could be tasted in the air. If there was one thing Perseus Jackson wasn't, it was hesitant. He abandons his brain and yanks the blond onto the mattress so they were side by side. Apollo grins, but not arrogantly like usual. It's small, gentle. Vulnerable.

His arms find themselves around Apollo, who does the same in return. It feels normal, with their legs intertwined and breath mingling together. Like this wasn't the first or the last time they had held each other with such care.

Percy whispers, breaking the easy silence. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"You know what I mean."

He sits up, dragging Percy with him, and puts a hand on each of his shoulders. He releases a deep sigh and seems to deflate. "I'm lonely. I shouldn't be, hell, I get much more attention than I deserve, but that's just it. All I get is attention. Never understanding or even someone wanting to. I'm an object, and I used to be okay with that. But slowly, I realized I was empty. Nothing made me feel good, nothing made me feel bad. I was numb. Then..." The corners of his mouth turn up slightly as he ruffles Percy's hair. "Then, you happened. It was like a bomb went off in my heart. I have to make you mine."

Percy was at a loss for words; language couldn't hold his feelings anyways. He leans in, letting their lips touch just slightly. Apollo's hand grabs his shaggy hair and pulls him in harder while the other rests on the back of his neck. Percy bites Apollo's lower lip, sending a shiver through the latter.

Apollo pushes the younger boy down and throws the blanket off the bed. He didn't want either of them to hide.

They kiss clumsily, less rehearsed as in the water, but more intimately. Apollo removes Percy's shirt, and his own quickly follows. Apollo tries to remove Percy's jeans sexily, as he had done many times to many people, but they get caught on the boy's injured ankle. Percy hisses in pain, but Apollo kisses the swollen skin and they laugh, something Apollo had never done in these situations.

Their mouths crash together. Apollo moves his mouth to Percy's neck, then to his chest, biting and sucking. He pinches Percy's nipples, then flicks them with his tongue. He kisses his rib cage and rakes his hand up and down Percy's torso. Straddling him, Apollo leans back and admires his handiwork. Percy is panting and Apollo can see red marks from his nails. "Gods, you are so fucking attractive."

"I want more," Percy says.

"I'm not done yet." Apollo falls against Percy and smiles into his mouth. The smile stays on his face as he moves down again and licks the tip of Percy's dick, making him take in a shuddering breath. He teases a little before taking Percy's seven inches in fully. Percy moans as he licks his shaft.

Apollo grips Percy's cock and jerks him off, his mouth following the motion of his hand. Percy pulls the sun god's hair and whimpers his name. "Apollo, I'm gonna cum, oh Apollo, oh!" He finishes in Apollo's mouth, who swallows it all.

Both boys lie on their backs breathing heavily, Percy a little sweaty and Apollo very pleased. The demigod's eyelids grow heavy and it doesn't go unnoticed by Apollo. He assumes the position of the big spoon, and whether Percy is too tired to object or for once doesn't mind being subdued, he gives no objections. Apollo kisses his shoulder, but Percy is already drifting off to sleep.

Rest is the last thing on Apollo's mind. For one thing, his dick is harder than Artemis's chastity belt. This wasn't such a problem, because he could make it go away by thought (putting his godly powers to good use), but it was way less fun than actually using it. No, the main problem couldn't be tossed away no matter how hard he tried.

Finally, there was someone he cared about. It terrified him.

Deciding to ignore his doubts, like usual, he slips out of bed and heads outside; the night is cool and stings his bare chest. He pulls out a cigarette and lights up. Just as he's getting into a zen state, a yell splits the darkness.

He extinguishes the smoke sadly and walks towards the scream. The closer he gets, the more voices he can here. They're fast and excited, but one name can be heard over the rumble.

"Nico?!"


	6. Warm Welcome

"Nico?!"

Several heads swivel towards Apollo, but most are focused on Nico's body laying on the ground. He looks broken, defeated. "What the hell happened?" Apollo asks.

"No one knows," Clarice answers, a little gruffly. Or maybe it's just her normal voice, for her face doesn't match her tone. Her eyes mirror the rest of the crowd's mix of anxiety and fear. The same question is on everyone's mind: Who would dare to do this to the son of Hades?

"Out of the way, god coming through." Apollo pushes his way to the boy's crumpled frame and bends over him. His breath is shallow and pulse is weak, but he's alive.

"He needs to see Chiron," Clarice says.

"That can wait. He needs medical attention and I'm the most qualified." There are multiple huffs of annoyance in response, but no one argues.

Apollo gathers Nico into his arms, bridal style. He was always a scrawny kid, but it's obvious that he hadn't eaten in days. The campers clear a path for them and follow behind in silence until Apollo slams the infirmary door behind him. He needs privacy to do this kind of work.

* * *

 

Percy wakes up to a cold bed. His eyes, still blurry from sleep, scan the room for something, anything. But of course he's alone. He slams his fists onto the mattress and chews his tongue to stop the tears from escaping. Why did he expect any different?

After a while of laying there, he hears several voices coming closer until they're right outside his door. He dresses, but they pass his cabin without entering. A few words stick out over the general susurrus. "Gravely injured... alive... Apollo... sleeping... infirmary." Percy's out the door in a matter of seconds, hobbling as fast as possible with a still sore ankle.

A crowd is around the medical cabin but Percy pushes through with little restraint. Clarice stands at the door, arms crossed. She squints down at Percy; no matter how fast Percy grew, she remained a few inches taller. He had given up long ago.

"What's happening?" Percy demands.

"See for yourself," she says. "I'm not supposed to let anyone in, but he's been asking for you for hours. Be quiet, he's asleep."

The room is dark, almost pitch black. Heavy curtains cover the windows and it smells like a hospital. Not exactly the infirmary Percy remembered, but then his eyes adjust to the darkness. In the corner is an actual hospital bed, IV and all. It's so dark he can't quite make out the shape of the person; the stiff white sheet moves as they breathe and he lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in.

Percy kneels by the bed, letting his forehead rest on the other's. "Gods, look at you... What happened?" His gut is in knots. Before he knows quite what he's doing, Percy is kissing the boy, his hands holding his face.

It takes a few seconds for him to react, but Percy feels him kissing back. His mouth opens, their tongues pushing and exploring. Percy breaks it off first and leans back and laughs slightly, but it's cut short when he looks into the boy's eyes.

Instead of sea blue, they're dark, almost pitch black, and all too familiar.

"What? Nico?" Percy shouts as he stands up, almost tripping over his own legs.

Nico sits up and pushes his too-long hair out of his eyes. "Wow, it's nice to see you too Percy. What a warm welcome." He smiles and grabs the front of Percy's shirt, going in for another kiss.

"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a second," Percy says, pushing the younger boy's hand away.

"Is something wrong?" He says.

"Yeah, we- we kissed!"

"No shit, but it wasn't my idea. You initiated. Why are you freaking out so much?"

Percy clears his throat. "I thought you were someone else."

"Of course it's me, I thought everyone knew I was here. New travels faster than lightning here. Who did you think it was?" Nico's eyebrows are raised so far they might jump ship at any moment.

"I thought you were-"

As if summoned, Apollo slams the door open. "You can't be in here," he says tersely to Percy. "Nico is came in late last night and should be resting." He looks from Percy, to Nico, then back to Percy. "Am I interrupting?"

Percy takes a step back so that he's next to Apollo. It's Nico's turn to look from Apollo to Percy, and his face settles into a scowl. "Oh. I see."

"Glad to see you're awake, Nico. How are you feeling? Need anything?" Apollo asks in a chipper tone.

"No." Silence grows between the trio.

Apollo clears his throat and says, "If you don't need anything, you should go back to sleep. Rest is the best, as they say." He grabs Percy's arm and steers him out of the room. He moves fast and Percy finds it hard to keep up.

"Who is 'they'?" Percy says in an attempt to slow down the sun god.

"Me, of course."

They stop by the lake. Apollo forgot where he was going and looked around, confused. Dark bags encircle his eyes and there's a slight tremor to his hands. He squeezes his eyes shut as if the sun is too bright, which is pretty ironic.

Turning so he stands in front of him, Percy says, "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"Not even a bit. I wish I could have stayed with you, but Nico needed my full attention." Guilt washes over Percy as he remembers how he cursed Apollo when he woke up alone. "The poor kid stumbled into camp after you went to bed, bloody and bruised. I don't know what happened; no one does. He isn't talking about it." He sits on the sand, pulling Percy down with him. He grabs the boy's hand and says, almost timidly, "Though something tells me you would be able to get it out of him. You two seem close."

Again, shame makes Percy flush. "You saw." Apollo doesn't look at him, but nods slowly. "It was a mistake. Honestly, I thought it was you in that bed. I was so scared, I wasn't thinking. I-"

"You were worried about me?" Apollo finally meets Percy's eyes. A smile starts there, then grows until it takes over his whole face. Percy begins to object, but he throws his arm around the demigod and kisses him.

Percy says, "You're going to use this against me, aren't you." Apollo kisses him again, and for the first time, Percy doesn't care who sees.


	7. Apollo-phobic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you coming?" "I almost did."

Nico slumps into the gurney. He had put on a brave face in front of Percy and Apollo, but as soon as they were gone the mask slipped away.

His whole body throbbed; it felt like his joints had been stretched out of their sockets and then shoved back in.  _Maybe that's what happened,_  he muses. He stretches and moans in discomfort. His stomach groans as well, paralleling his voice. He hadn't eaten in gods know how long. His throat felt like sandpaper that had been under the sun too long.

The IV stares accusingly at him from the floor. He threw it there when he was conscious enough to move. Hospitals made him nervous- especially needles. Nico tries to stand without any success. His legs were as useful as a jellyfish's tentacles.

Useless, useless. He was useless. Unimportant. Discarded.

Apollo had done his best to heal the demigod, but he could only help surface wounds. He didn't know what was going on beneath the skin, what kind of internal damage there was. Nico knows he's waiting for an explanation as to what happened to further help him.

His mind was blank. There was a gap where the past few weeks were supposed to be. He vaguely remembers an argument before he left camp on some great mission. Then he was in this bed. Nothing but blackness in between. He didn't even know why he left.

And then there was Percy.

Nico thought he was over his stupid schoolboy crush on The Hero. How cliched could he get? When Percy had kissed him, Nico forgot all about his broken body. It was just them, their lips, their tongues... But no, it had been purely one-sided. Percy jumped away from Nico like he was a hell hound, and fucking Apollo came in before they could really talk.

_Seems Percy and Apollo have plenty to talk about._  His inner voice kept reminding him of how Percy had looked at Apollo. Didn't he know the god was just using him? Apollo never made any serious connections. Nico refused to accept any other reality.

A couple hours later, Nico had made no progress in his thoughts. They kept swirling around each other, never coming to a conclusion on either topic: his disappearance or his love life. His angst was interrupted by Clarisse, one of the most unexpected people Nico could think of.

She hands him a cup of cool water and gingerly sits on the edge of the bed. Well, for her it was gentle; to Nico, it was like she had kicked the mattress. Neither spoke, and Nico plays with the condensation forming on the glass to avoid her penetrating stare.

"How are you feeling?" She asks, almost tentatively.

He looks up, her shyness startling him. "I feel like I've been hit by an 18-wheeler and then pissed on by the driver. Never been better."

Snorting in response, he sees Clarisse fall back into her normal self. "I've missed your snark, kid. Where have you been?"

Yep, she was definitely Clarisse. Straightforward and unapologetic. "That question is a little harder to answer."

"Why," she says as she stands up, "is that?" With her hands on her hips, she strikes an imposing silhouette.

Nico flinches into his pillow. He's not easily intimidated, but Clarisse has pure hell in her eyes. "I can't remember," he says.

Her eyes narrow. For a second, Nico thinks she's going to grab his shirt and shake him. But the moment passes. She runs her fingers through her hair and glances at her watch. "It's dinner time. Do you want me to get you something?"

"Gods, yes. I'm starving."

She cracks a smile. "Okay. I'll be back in five."

* * *

Percy sent Apollo to bed not long after they settled onto the beach. He hadn't wanted to go, but Percy insisted. He was afraid the man would pass out in his lap. Not that he would have minded, but he knew the other campers would. Camp Half Blood wasn't homophobic in the slightest, but it was Apollo-phobic.

A small smile creeps onto his face. He knows he should be worried about Nico, and his is; especially since he just made out with him. Yet every time he thinks of Apollo, a weird feeling flares up inside his chest.  _You're being a fool,_ his conscious chimes in.

"Oh, piss off," he retorts. A few Aphrodite girls tanning nearby glare at him. "Sorry. Not you." They grumble but put their head back down.

_I know I'm being an idiot. I'm always an idiot,_ he continues silently. He had spent the day training with a bow and arrow and wasn't getting far. Actually, he wasn't getting near; he hadn't hit the target once. To cool off, he decides to take a pre-dinner swim. He's good at that, at least.

The water welcomes him and caresses his sore muscles. Percy was toned, but the bow forced him to work back muscles he didn't know he had. Water is familiar and comforting after the frustrations of the day. It didn't help that it seemed no matter where he looked, people were talking about him. Some tried to hid it behind their hands. Others simply stared him down.

The evening is warm, with the sun just setting. Percy's debating on if he has enough time to do another lap before dinner closes when someone jumps into the water with him.

"Who's there?" He calls, squinting towards the splashing. No one ever swims in the lake besides him. Most think it's too gross, but he loves the natural water.

"Who do you think?" Apollo moves closer and grabs Percy's hand. "Woke up from my cat nap and thought I'd find you here." He wears a lazy grin that Percy wishes he could mimic. "What's-a matter? You look like you're holding an eel instead of a hand."

"Nothing. I just don't want..." He trails off and looks towards the Aphrodite campers lounging on the beach. They stopped tanning a bit ago and were now chatting and gossiping.

Apollo groans in exasperation. "This again? I thought you were okay with us."

"I am, I am. It's everyone else I'm nervous about."

"What do these people matter?"

Percy stares at him. "They may not matter to you, but 'these people' are my friends, my comrades. We've been through a lot together. I can trust them."

"You can trust me too." Percy doesn't respond; he doesn't know how to. He's aggravated that Apollo could just wave away his friends like they're nothing. Yet there's such raw emotion in his eyes that it's hard to think of anything but those blue orbs.

Finally, Percy says, "I'm worried about Annabeth."

The sensitive caring leaves Apollo's eyes. "Are you really? She's been gone for over twenty-four hours. That's enough to call the police and file a missing persons report. And you didn't even notice."

Percy's heart skips a beat. "Gone? Where?"

His voice hard, Apollo says, "I don't know, you were the last person she talked to before she left."

"Oh gods, I have to find her. I have to keep her safe." Panic courses through Percy's veins. He splashes around, looking every which way, trying to figure out what to do.

Apollo grabs Percy's shoulder's and spins him so they're facing each other. "Percy, calm down. I'm sure she's fine."

"You don't understand, if she's in danger I  _have_  to help her," he insists. He's frantic, trying to pull away from Apollo and get to shore.

"Percy!" Apollo's yell sounds like a clap of thunder in his head. "Calm. Down. I don't have any evidence that she's missing, I was just mad. I'm sorry for what I said about you not caring for her. I know she's important to you. And I'm sorry for what I said about your friends."

"She's safe?" He says, eyes wide.

"As far as I know. Come on, let's get out of the water and get some grub, maybe relax a little. We're both worn thin."

Percy nods in agreement. He feels deflated, like a week-old party balloon. They both go to his cabin to get dry clothes, though Percy finds it hard to concentrate on dressing when Apollo is nearly naked in his room. "See something you like?" Apollo asks cheekily.

Blushing, Percy looks away and tries to keep his mind on putting on clothes. Just as he slips on a pair of jeans, he feels arms slide around him. He whines softly as hands slide down his chest and down his pants, teasing him.

"You're so cute," Apollo says. He kisses Percy's neck, then behind his ear, then nibbles his earlobe. Percy turns his head so their lips meet and grabs a fistful of the god's hair, keeping him in place.

With one hand rubbing Percy's erection, Apollo uses his other to tweak his nipple. Percy moans again, louder than before. The demigod opens his mouth slightly, letting the other's tongue slip in. "Apollo, I'm gonna cum in my pants if you keep this up," he breathes.

"Then do it."

"But, food..." The god gives Percy's cock one last rub, then releases him.

"To be continued," Apollo says in warning. He leaves the cabin as if nothing happened, then stops once he realizes Percy isn't following. "Are you coming?"

"I almost did," he grumbles, and joins Apollo outside.


End file.
